Plumbing manifold

ABSTRACT

This invention covers a manifold for a plumbing fitting or fixture which may include a valve mechanism, such as a single lever faucet, and a spout. The manifold structure includes a plurality of conduits which are formed internally of the structure for interconnecting pipes transmitting hot and cold water with the valve mechanism and in turn with the spout. The manifold is made essentially of two metallic or plastic substantially parallel plates which may be relatively thin. One of the two plates will be bulged wherever conduits are to be provided. The second plate of the manifold need not have any bulges for completing the conduits. The two plates are joined together permanently so that the manifold may be connected as a unit to the valve mechanism and the spout, either at the factory or at the place where the combination is to be installed.

United States Patent 91 Konen et al.

45] Apr. 24, 1973 PLUMBING MANIFOLD [73] Assignee: American StandardInc., New York,

22 Filed: July 7, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 52,872

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,997,722 8/1961 Pearson... 1,752,782 4/1930Burton ..4/7

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 636,992 12/1963 Belgium ..4/l9l 62,5257/1944 Denmark ..4/l9l 228,385 3/l960 Australia ..4/l45 PrimaryExaminerI-Iouston S. Bell, Jr.

Assistant Examiner-Donald B. Massenberg Attorney.leffers0n Ehrlich,Tennes I. Erstad and Robert G. Crooks [57] ABSTRACT This inventioncovers a manifold for a plumbing fitting or fixture which may include avalve mechanism, such as a single lever faucet, and a spout. Themanifold structure includes a plurality of conduits which are formedinternally of the structure for interconnecting pipes transmitting hotand cold water with the valve mechanism and in turn with the spout. Themanifold is made essentially of two metallic or plastic substantiallyparallel plates which may be relatively thin. One of the two plates willbe bulged wherever conduits are to be provided. The second plate of themanifold need not have any bulges for completing the conduits. The twoplates are joined together permanently so that the manifold may beconnected as a unit to the valve mechanism and the spout, either at thefactory or at the place where the combination is to be installed.

13 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures Patented April 24, 1973 4 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTORS:

T. P. KONEN R. W. SMITH ATTORNEY Patented April 24, 1973 3,728,746

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 YMNF MNB MKHI SH Q

0 MKCI MCZ VOB

FIG.2

MKC2

MNB

MHI

I MH3 MHZ MNX MNX

I INVENTORS: T.. P. KONEN BY V ,q R. w. SMITH {ATTORNEY Patented April24, 1973 4 SheetS- -Sheet' 5 GM m A,

4 m DW F M H M E E l 8 WW m a P w I T R :Z F

Patented April .24, 1973 4 Sheets-$heet 4 FIG.IO

F |c-s.9

MKHI

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INVENTORS m MW, M mm. Wm w n R x /w PLUMBING MANIFOLD This inventionrelates generally to improved plumbing fixtures and to improved plumbingfittings and to improved piping and conduits for such fixtures andfittings. More particularly, this invention relates to improved andsimplified plumbing fixtures and fittings and conduits which aresuitable for easy manufacture at low cost and substantially free ofdefects and, at the same time, are'easily installable as parts ofkitchens, bathrooms, etc. in new or modernized buildings.

Y As is well known, there has been a severe housing shortage in recentyears due, not only to the substantial growth in the population, butalso, in some important part at least, to the escalating costs ofplumbing equipment, and in the costs of installation of such equipment,and, equally importantly, to the shortage of available manpower,especially skilled people, such as plumbers, for installation, testingand repair of such equipment. Materials such as brass, copper, steel andother materials, which are frequently used in the plumbing industry forthe manufacture of plumbing equipment, have risen somewhat sharply inprice, and, consequently, the cost of manufacture has likewiseincreased. When the plumbing items are available for purchase andinstallation, plumbers and their helpers and other construction workerswho are required to install such items, because of their complexity, arein short supply and, even when such people are available, the labor andservice charges have risen to a high level. The costs of hiring suchpeople even for short intervals are almost prohibitively high for theaverage building owner or operator. Due the unusual conditionsprevailing in the building and construction industries over severalyears, it has become a virtual necessity to find new and improvedmaterials and new and improved products and arrangements and methods ofmanufacture and new and improved methods of installation and otherpractical solutions to meet this growing distressing and disturbingproblem affecting the entire nation, at all levels of construction.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to providesimple and improved plumbing fittings and fixtures and the relatedpiping and conduits and other appurtenances, so that the necessaryplumbing fittings and fixtures may be manufactured in volume at lowcost, of good quality, free of defects, and requiring little or noservicing.

Another of the principal objectives of the present invention is toprovide simple and inexpensive plumbing fixtures and fittings which areeasily and quickly installed, either in a new building or in a buildingrequiring modernization, the installation to be performed by a minimumof personnel, and especially by a minimum of skilled or scarce personnelsuch as plumbers.

Another of the objectives of this invention is to provide what may becalled, and will hereafter be called, a manifold in the form of twosubstantially flat parallel plates so shaped and contoured that, whenthe two plates are permanently joined together, they will contain bulgesto provide openings or conduits of sufficient size for the flow offluid, such as water, to be used whenever and wherever desired in almostany volume and at almost any appropriate temperatures.

One of the key or elemental equipments of this invention consists of afabricated or prefabricated structure produced, for example, at thefactory from two plates or stampings which are to be arranged to besubstantially parallel to each other but nevertheless have appropriatecontours therein so that, when the two plates are joined together byadhesive or other suitable materials or by brazing, the contours of thetwo plates will provide one or more ducts or conduits through which mayflow fluids, such as water, at the usual ranges of temperature, the flowpaths leading to plumbing fittings, such as a faucet, throughwhich thefluid may be discharged. The two plates may be made of metal, such asstainless steel, or of plastic materials, and, when joined to each otherby suitable adhesive materials or by brazing, the plates will bepermanently united and inseparable under a wide range of operatingconditions. When so produced, the manifold will be capable oftransmitting fluids efficiently to the plumbing fittings through theducts or conduits of the manifold to the appropriate conduits of theplumbing fittings.

The manifold of this invention is to provide, in addition to theconduits which are built into the walls of the manifold, openings orapertures in the walls of the manifold so that connections to plumbingfittings may be easily and conveniently established. Thus, if a faucetis to be coupled to the manifold, one opening in the wallof the manifoldmay be provided to allow water to enter the fitting from a conduit ofthe manifold, while another opening in the wall of the manifold mayallow water to be returned to another conduit of the manifold and thenreturned to the faucet to be discharged through the faucet.

For example, if a fitting, such as a single lever faucet, is to becoupled to the manifold, two openings in the wall of the manifold may beprovided to allow hot and cold water to flow from respectivepre-assigned conduits of the manifold to the fitting where the hot andcold water will be mixed and then returned to another conduit of themanifold through another opening in the wall of the manifold, so thatthe mixed water at an intermediate temperature may then be transmittedthrough another opening in the wall of the manifold to the faucet bywhich the mixed water will be discharged. Moreover, the internalstructure of the manifold may also embody additional conduits which mayextend to other manifolds or to other fittings or to other pipes orconduits, so that the hot and cold water received by the manifold willbe relayed to other parts of the building. Thus, the manifold may serveas a repeater or arepeater pointQThe repeater may be connected orcoupled to like repeaters in the same room or in the same apartment orin different apartments of the same building, etc.

The manifold of this invention, including its internal conduits and itsopenings, is readily mass produced, whether the manifold is made ofmetallic or plastic materials. Moreover, such manifolds may beconstructcd as prefabricated items, so that they may be easily andquickly installed, individually or in groups, in a building such as ahome. The installation may be accomplished, if desired, without the aidor guidance of a plumber. The installation will be permanent and themanifold will be long lasting and substantially free of leakage andmaintenance problems.

This invention, together with its objects and features, will be betterand more clearly understood from the following more detailed descriptionand explanation hereinafter following when read in connection with theaccompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded view of one form of equipment, presentedin perspective, illustrating one form of manifold and accompanyingequipment and its structural features;

FIG. 2 illustrates a side elevation of the assembled equipment of FIG.1;

. FIG. 3 shows another side elevation, similar to that of FIG. 2, inwhich the manifold is shown partially in cross-section; v

FIG. 4 illustrates another exploded perspective view of the manifold ofthis invention;

FIG. 5 illustrates a rear view of the manifold shown, for example, inFIG. 4;

FIG. 6 illustrates a side elevational view when seen' along the linesR-R of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 illustrates another cross-sectional view taken I along the linesSS of FIG. 5;

,other positions for different mixtures of incoming The same or similarreference characters will be employed throughout the various figures ofthe drawing to designate or refer to the same or similar parts whereverthey may occur throughout the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, and especially to FIG. 1 of the drawing, thereis shown a manifold MN, a valve mechanism VV, which may be, and is, partof a single lever faucet of any well known type as, for example, thetype which is shown and described in an application of R.G. Parkison,Ser. No. 796,139, filed Feb. 3, 1969, now US. Pat. No. 3,533,436, issuedOct. 13, 1970, a panel PN having an integral spout SP, a spout end SE, ahandle HN which may be manipulated to control the valve mechanism VV,and an outlet pipe or conduit 0C for interconnecting the manifold MN tothe spout SP. The manifold MN may have two basal projections VVB and VOBfor supporting or holding the valve mechanism VV and the outlet pipe OC,respectively. The manifold MN may be connected to two conduits HCI andCCI which may be employed to feed hot and cold water, respectively, tothe manifold MN. The valve mechanism VV may be employed to mix the hotwater and the cold water supplied through conduits HCI and CCI to themanifold MN, the degree of mixture and the volume of water to becontrolled by the movement of the handle l-IN, and the mixed water inwhatever volume may be returned to the manifold and then fed to theoutlet pipe OC. The outlet pipe OC may feed the mixed water through thespout SP and through the spout end SE. As will be described, themanifold MN may include a number ofinternal conduits through which thefluids are transmitted to the valve mechanism VV and for re-transmittingthe fluids mixed by the; valve mechanism VV, after the mixture iscompleted, to one or more other conduits of the manifold MN for feedingthe mixed fluid to the outlet conduit OC and then to the spout SP to bedischarged by the spout end SE.

As can be seen more clearly from FIGS. 1 and 4, the manifold MN consistsof two plates which may be equal in size and are substantially parallelto each other. The two plates are designated MNF and MNB, the plate MNFto be called the front plate, and the plate MNB to be called the back orrear plate. The manifold MN includes two input collars or receptorsMKI-Il and MKCI which are sufficiently large so as to receive therespective conduits I-ICI' and CCI which may respectively supply, forexample, hot water and cold water. The conduits HC1 and CCI may bejoined to the collars MKI-Il and MKCI respectively, either by brazingthe two together, or by appropriate threading, or by suitable adhesives,or by other means, so that they mesh with, and are bound to, each otherand are sealed with each other by any appropriate glue or other binder.Hot water entering from the conduit HCI will be transmitted through thecollar MKI-Il then through a conduit MI-Il and a connecting conduit MHZwhich may lead to another conduit MI-I3 so that the fluid may traversean opening or aperture H0 in the front plate MNF which leads into achannel of the valve mechanism VV. Likewise, the conduit CCI will supplycold water through the collar MKCl, then through the conduit MCI andthrough another adjacent opening or aperture CO which is also formed .inthe front plate MNF of the manifold MN, so that the cold water may alsoenter a channel of the valve mechanism VV. The valve mechanism VV has amovable shank or lever SH upon which is mounted the handle I-IN forcontrolling and adjusting the mixture of hot and cold water received bythe valve mechanism VV. The shank SI-l may be moved, as is well knownand as is shown and described by the above-noted patent of R.G.Parkison, either to adjust the valve mechanism VV to increase the totalquantity of water supplied by the hot and cold water conduits, or tochange or adjust the ratio of the incoming hot water to theincoming'cold water, or both, as may be desired. As the two fluids,i.e., the hot water and the cold water, are mixed by and within thevalve mechanism VV under control of the handle l-IN, the mixed waterwill travel through the opening or aperture MX in the front plate MNF ofthe manifold MN, then through the conduit MNX within the manifold MN,then out through the opening or aperture MXO in the front plate MNF andthen through the outward conduit CC to the spout SP to be discharged bythe spout end SE. Thus, the hot and cold water will be supplied to themanifold MN through substantially similar paths or conduits and thensupplied to the valve mechanism VV to be mixed, and then returned toanother conduit of manifold MN to be discharged through the outlet pipeOC which leads to the spout SP and the spout end SE. 3 g

It will be observed from FIGS. 1 and 4, for example, that the MI-Il MPHand MI-I2 of the manifold MN are serially connected, or are parts of thesame conduit, between the collars MKHI and MIG-I2 of the manifold MN.Similarly, conduits MCI and MC2 of manifold MN are connected in serieswith each other, or are parts of a single conduit, between collars MKCland MKC2. The collars MIG-l2 and MKC2 may be connected by conduits l-IC2and CC2, respectively, to other similar manifolds (not shown) or toother plumbing fixtures. Thus, the manifold MN constitutes a module orrepeater for transferring hot or cold water, or a mixture of the two, tosimilar or other modules or repeaters which are not shown.

The front plate MNF of the manifold MN is shown to have two optionalbases or platforms VVB and VOB which are protrusions provided to supportthe valve mechanisms VV and the outlet pipe or conduit OC, respectively.Such bases or platforms are not required and may, if desired, becompletely omitted. If omitted, the valve mechanism VV and the outletpipe OC should include appropriate means for connection to the frontplate MNF to establish paths to the apertures in the front plate MNF, asshown and described.

The front plate MNF of the manifold MN May be in the form of a thinplate of metal or of plastic material having a number of holes orapertures, forexample, three, for the above-noted connections to thevalve mechanism VV and a fourth hole or aperture for connection, forexample, to the outlet pipe 0C. In addition to these openings orapertures, the front plate MNF may also include portions of the collars,such as MKHl and MKCl to which the respective hot and cold waterincoming supplies may be connected, as already explained. It will beobserved that the two collars MKI-Il and MKCl are tapered down tosmoothly meet the adjacent conduits MHl and MCl, respectively, thelatter conduits being constructed as parts of the back plate MNB of themanifold MN. The front plate MNF of the manifold MN also embracesportions of two other similar collars MKl-IZ and MKC2 of the manifoldMN.

These collars are also tapered down, as shown, to accommodate thesmaller diameters of the adjacent and connecting conduits MH2 and MC2which supply fluids to the outgoing conduits I-IC2 and CC2,respectively.

As can be seen from the drawing, the several conduits MI-Il, MH2, MH3,MC1,MC2 and MNX are longitudinal conduits which are substantiallysemi-cylindrical. The back plate MNB is pressed or otherwise formed atthe factory, so as to produce the bulges or contours required toconstitute the longitudinal semicylindrical conduits of the manifold MN.Although each of these conduits is substantially semi-cylindrical, asalready noted, the corresponding portions of the front plate MNF have nosuch contours or bulges, but the front plate MNF provides a firm, tightclosure for the several conduits. Thus, when the two plates MNF and MNBare joined together by appropriate adhesives or by brazing (or othermeans) to establish a union or junction between the two plates, each of'the several conduits will be completely sealed so that there will be noleakage of fluids when in use. Fluid can only pass longitudinally alongthe conduits to the various openings already referred to. By having thecontours or bulges within only one of the plates, the other plateremaining flat, it becomes unnecessary to maintain alignments to preventleakage. This is a feature of this invention.

By reference, for example, to FIG. 6 of the drawing, the two plates MNFand MNB are shown from an end view taken along the line R-R of FIG. 5.It will be observed that the two plates MNF and MNB are closely adjacentto each other, and indeed sealed to each other. Segments of each of thecollars, such as MKl-Il, MKCI and MKC2, are joined to correspondingsegments of the front plate MNF to provide a substantially cylindricalcollar to which a pipe or conduit of appropriate diameter may beconnected and sealed against leakage.

It will be observed from FIG. 5 that the two longitudinal conduits MI-Iland MH2 may be substantially perpendicular to each other and interposedin series between the collars MKI-Il and MKHZ, so that water flowinginwardly through collar MKHI will travel longitudinally along conduitsMI-Il and MH2 and out through the collar MKHZ. Likewise, the conduitsMCI and MC2 are substantially perpendicular to each other and interposedbetween the collars MKCl and MKCZ, so that water entering the collarMKCl may be transmitted through collar MKCZ into the conduit connectedthereto. It will be further observed that the conduit MNX has noimmediate or direct connection to the conduits previously described withrespect to FIG.

7 5, but conduit MNX interconnects the opening MX with the opening MXOin the front plate MNF. The opening MX provides a path exiting from thevalve mechanism VV for water mixed by the valve mechanism VV, the watermixture then traveling over the conduit MNX to be discharged through theopening MNO in the front plate MNF and through the outlet pipe CC to thespout SP for ultimate discharge by the spout end SE.

FIGS. 7 and 8 also show the longitudinal bulges or expansions in theback plate MNB which are previously described and need no repetition.These bulges provide the longitudinal semi-cylindrical conduits of themanifold MN.

FIGS. 9 to 12, inclusive, schematically represent the movable disc MD ofthe valve mechanism VV in relation to the manifolds conduits, themovable disc MD being shown in its relation to the three ports oropenings of the front plate which lead to the valve mechanism VV. InFIG. 9, the disc MD is shown in its position where it will shut off theflow of water into the valve mechanism VV and hence no water will bereturned from the valve mechanism VV. When the disc is in this position,therefore, no water will enter the apertures H0 or CO and, therefore, nowater will leave the valve mechanism VV through the aperture MX. Inother words, none of the water entering the collars MKHI or MKCl will betransmitted to the valve mechanism VV. But the entering water, however,if it is hot water from conduit HCl, will travel over the conduits MH]and MH2 and through the collar MIG-I2 to the outgoing conduit HC2. Ifthe water is cold water from conduit CCl, it will flow through thecollar MKCl over conduit MC2 and out through the collar MKC2 to theexiting conduit CC2.

In FIG. 10, however, the movable disc MD of the valve mechanism VV isshown in its fully open midposition and therefore arranged so that hotand cold water will be supplied in equal proportions to the commonconduit MNX of the manifold MN. FIG. 11 shows thedisc MD in a positionto transmit only cold water through aperture CO to the common conduitMNX of the manifold MN. The FIG. 12 arrangement shows the disc MD".arranged to supply only hot water through aperture CO to the commonconduit MNX of the manifold MN.

it is to be especially noted, moreover, that water may be supplied tothe outgoing conduits HC2 and CC2 from the corresponding and respectiveincoming conduits HCl and CC], whether or not the valve mechanism VV isopen or closed in any of the various positions available to the disc MDof that valve. The amount of water supplied to each particularvalvemechanism, such as VV, will depend on the size of the interconnectingconduits of the manifold MN but, more especially, upon the sizes of theopenings HO and C of the manifold MN if the areas of the latter openingsare smaller than the cross-sectional areas of the interconnectedconduits.

Although the path of water flow has been shown as directed from theconduits HCl and CCl toand toward the corresponding conduits HC2 andCC2, respectively, the direction of the flow may be reversed, ifdesired. That is, the hot water and cold water may enter conduits HC2and CC2 and travel through the interconnected conduits of the manifoldMN to the conduits HCl and CC] respectively. Notwithstanding thereversal of the direction of flow of water as just indicated, the discMD of the valve mechanism VV may be adjusted, as-may be desired, eitherto block all flow of water through the valve mechanism VV or toselectively choose the amount of hot water or cold water, or the mixtureof the two, to be transmitted through the various conduits of themanifold MN to the spout SP for discharge by the spout end SE.

If the plates MNF and MNB are to be made of metal, such as stainlesssteel, for example, of a small gauge, the metallic plate will besufficient. The front plate MNF may be readily prepared with a singlepunch press operation which would punch out the holes required forconnections to the valve VV and to the output conduit OC, but whichwould also produce the bulges required in the several collars alreadydescribed. Likewise, the back plate MNF, and its conduits and collars,if made of stainless steel, could be produced in a single operation. Thepermanent join-der of the two plates MNF and MNB can be affected by anybrazing operation or by any suitable adhesive. If the two plates MNF andMNB are to be made of, for example, a

plastic material, these can also be produced by injection moldingmachines in a single operation.

It has been found that when the two plates MNF and MNB are suitablyjoined together along their faces, except at the several conduits andthe several collars, leakage will be virtually impossible. Anappropriate metal, such as stainless steel, or an appropriate plastic,would fully resist leakage through its walls over a very long period oftime.

The amount of metal or the amount of plastic required to make themanifolds shown and described herein is relatively small. Metal plates,for example, are readily available. Punch press machines for forming theconduits and the collars according to appropriate dies are also readilyavailable. The time required to make any of these plates in the factoryis quite small. Consequently, the costs of manufacturing the manifoldsare small indeed. The assembly of the manifolds to incorporate theseveral externally connected conduits and the valve mechanism VVrequires also very little time and the assembly may be performed byunskilled labor on the site where the manifold is to be installed. Thereduction in the cost of manufacturing the plumbing fittings, includingthe manifold, and the cost incurred in the assembly of the necessaryparts, make these equipments particularly suitable for meeting the largedemand for plumbing materials and services.

As noted, the front plate MNF of manifold MN is generally flat but theback plate MNB is bulged to produce the several conduits of the manifoldMN. This renders the manifold MN suitable for incorporation inpre-existing or new wall construction. The flat front plate MNF mayconstitute part of the flat finished wall construction to which asuitable plumbing fitting may be directly attached and fluidicallycoupled. The bulging back plate MNB may be, and will be, concealedwithin the interior of the wall construction. Such a manifold will,therefore, be pleasing in appearance on the finished wall and it willrequire no significant or important structural wall appurtenances forthe installation.

Although the invention has been exemplified in a single lever faucetinstallation and the manifold MN, it will be readily apparent that otherplumbing fittings or fixtures may be used with the manifold MN in thepractice of this invention. For example, a simple faucet of any type maybe used as part of the structural combination. If the manifold MN wereto be coupled to but one fluid path of the faucet, the manifold wouldembody a single aperture to couple a single conduit of the manifold tothe faucet path, so that the faucet will discharge the fluid travelingthrough the conduit. On

the other hand, a valve mechanism of any suitable type may be coupled tobut two of the conduits of the manifold by two apertures leadingrespectively to the two conduits, so that one aperture will allow fluidinone conduit to reach the valve while the other aperture will allowfluid to be returned from the valve through the second aperture to thesecond conduit. Upon opening the valve, fluid will flow between the twoconduits but, upon closure of the valve, the flow of fluid will beinterrupted.

Conventional stop valves (not shown) may be used with the manifold MN ofthis invention. Such stop valves may be coupled through appropriateapertures, incorporated into the front plate MNF, to the longitudinalconduits of manifold MN, or they may be coupled to the exterior conduitssuch as HCl and CCl, or HC2 and CC2.

The several conduits of the manifold MN have been shown and described aslongitudinal conduits of semicylindrical cross-section. Obviously, theconduits may have any other desired shapes, such as rectangular,elliptical or semi-elliptical. I

While this invention has been shown and described in certain particulararrangements merely for illustration and explanation, it will beapparent that the many objects and features of this invention may bereadily carried out by other and widely varied organizations withoutdeparting in any way from the spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A manifold for plumbing equipment comprising first and second flatparallel substantially coplanar plates, the first of the coplanar platescontaining an elongate semi-cylindrical protrusion therein having itsaxis substantially coplanar with said first plate, the second coplanarplate being sealed against the first plate so as to provide a barrierwall facing said protrusion, whereby said protrusion and said barrierwall together constitute a main conduit suitable for the flow of fluidtherethrough.

2. A manifold for plumbing equipment according to claim 1 in which eachof the two plates is formed so as to provide a semicircular collar, saidtwo semicircular collars being adjacent to each other when the platesare sealed to each other so that said semicircular collars may form apassageway which is a continuation of said main conduit and receive aconnecting cylindrical conduit.

3. A manifold for plumbing equipment according to claim 1 including foursemicircular collars, two of the semicircular collars, one on each ofthe two plates, being adjacent each other when .the two plates aresealed to each other so that said aligned collars will form one end ofthe main conduit established by the plates, the other two semicircularcollars being adjacent each other when the plates are sealed so thatsaid other two aligned collars will form the other end of said mainconduit.

4. A manifold for plumbing equipment comprising a plurality of elongatedconduits which are substantially semi-cylindrical in shape, saidmanifold including two substantially flat parallel substantiallycoplanar plates, one of the plates having a plurality of elongatesubstantially semi-cylindrical bulges therein, the axes of said bulgesbeing substantially coplanar with the plane of said one plate so thatwhen the two plates are affixed and sealed essentially parallel andcontiguous to each other, the bulges will constitute said plurality ofconduits for the transmission of fluid.

5. Plumbing equipment comprising a unitary manifold consisting of aplurality of flat parallel plates which face each other and arecohesively joined together, between which plates are formed twosubstantially semi-cylindrical conduits the axes of which aresubstantially coplanar with the plane of the plates for receiving hotwater and cold water respectively, the material of one of said platesbeing substantially semicylindrically shaped to form a wall portion ofsaid conduits, and a plumbing fixture coupled to said manifold, saidmanifold having two apertures in one of the plates of said manifold forreceiving hot water and cold water from the respective conduits anddelivering the water to the plumbing fixture.

6. Plumbing equipment according to claim 5 in which said manifoldincludes two collars for each of the respective two conduits of themanifold, each half section of each collar being formed by contiguousportions of the flat plates; two pipes coupled to the respective collarsfor supplying hot water and cold water to the longitudinal conduits ofsaid manifold.

7. Plumbing equipment comprising a manifold having two flat coextensiveplates which face each other and are cohesively joined together, betweenwhich plates three substantially elongated conduits are formed. in oneof said plates, said conduits having their axes substantially coplanarwith the plane of said flat plates, the other of said plates havingthree apertures therein, each aperture corresfpondin to but one of theconduits to permit the flow 0 fluid t erethrough, and a plumbing fixturehaving three flow paths, two of which receive fluid from two of theconduits of the manifold and the third aperture returning fluid from thethird flow path of said fixture to the third conduit of the manifold,said plumbing fixture including valve mechanism for controlling thefluid flow into the two receiving flow paths of the fixture.

8. Plumbing equipment according to claim 7 in which said plumbingfixture is a single lever faucet having a valve mechanism and a mixingchamber, the fluid returned by the plumbing fixtures to the thirdconduit of the manifold being discharged through the spout of thefaucet.

9. A manifold for a flat wall comprising two substantially flat parallelcoextensive plates which face each other, one of said plates having anelongate substantially semi-cylindrical bulge therein providing aconduit between said plates having its axis substantially coplanar withthe plane of said one plate when said plates are sealed to each other,and means for sealing the two plates coextensively to each other, theother of said plates having an aperture therein opening into said bulgeso that fluid may be transmitted through said conduit and through saidaperture.

10. A manifold according to claim 9, including also a plumbing fittinghaving an aperture therein to receive fluid which' is to flow throughthe plumbing fitting, the aperture of said plumbing fitting beingcommunicative with said aperture in the plate of said manifold so thatfluid may flow through the interior of said conduit provided betweenboth plates of the manifold and through the two apertures.

11. A manifold for a flat wall comprising first and second substantiallyflat parallel plates which face each other, said first plate having twonon-contiguous elongate substantially semi-cylindrical bulges providingtwo separate conduits having their axes substantially coplanar with theplane of said first plate when said plates are sealed to each other, twoapertures being provided in said second plate, one of the apertures inthe second plate opening into one of the conduits and the other aperturein said second plate opening into the other of the conduits, means forsealing said first and second plates to each other, and means providinga fluid path between said two apertures so that fluid may be transmittedbetween one conduit and the other.

12. A manifold according to claim 11 in which the means providing afluid path comprises a plumbing fitting having two apertures which arerespectively aligned with the apertures in said second plate so thatfluid may be transmitted in a continuous path between said conduits andthrough the apertures of said fitting.

13. A manifold according to claim 12, in which first and secondcylindrical collars are formed in said manifold each about one of theconduits of the manifold, so that pipes may be connected to therespective conduits of said manifold.

1. A manifold for plumbing equipment comprising first and second flatparallel substantially coplanar plates, the first of the coplanar platescontaining an elongate semi-cylindrical protrusion therein having itsaxis substantially coplanar with said first plate, the second coplanarplate being sealed against the first plate so as to provide a barrierwall facing said protrusion, whereby said protrusion and said barrierwall together constitute a main conduit suitable for the flow of fluidtherethrough.
 2. A manifold for plumbing equipment according to claim 1in which each of the two plates is formed so as to provide asemicircular collar, said two semicircular collars being adjacent toeach other when the plates are sealed to each other so that saidsemicircular collars may form a passageway which is a continuation ofsaid main conduit and receive a connecting cylindrical conduit.
 3. Amanifold for plumbing equipment according to claim 1 including foursemicircular collars, two of the semicircular collars, one on each ofthe two plates, being adjacent each other when the two plates are sealedto each other so that said aligned collars will form one end of the mainconduit established by the plates, the other two semicircular collarsbeing adjacent each other when the plates are sealed so that said othertwo aligned collars will form the other end of said main conduit.
 4. Amanifold for plumbing equipment comprising a plurality of elongatedconduits which are substantially semi-cylindrical in shape, saidmanifold including two substantially flat parallel substantiallycoplanar plates, one of the plates having a plurality of elongatesubstantially semi-cylindrical bulges therein, the axes of said bulgesbeing substantially coplanar with the plane of said one plate so thatwhen the two plates are affixed and sealed essentially parallel andcontiguous to each other, the bulges will constitute said plurality ofconduits for the transmission of fluid.
 5. Plumbing equipment comprisinga unitary manifold consisting of a plurality of flat parallel plateswhich face each other and are cohesively joined together, between whichplates are formed two substantially semi-cylindrical conduits the axesof which are substantially coplanar with the plane of the plates forreceiving hot water and cold water respectively, the material of one ofsaid plates being substantially semi-cylindrically shaped to form a wallportion of said conduits, and a plumbing fixture coupled to saidmanifold, said manifold having two apertures in one of the plates ofsaid manifold for receiving hot water and cold water from the respectiveconduits and delivering the water to the plumbing fixture.
 6. Plumbingequipment according to claim 5 in which said manifold includes twocollars for each of the respective two conduits of the manifold, eachhalf section of each collar being formed by contiguous portions of theflat plates; two pipes coupled to the respective collars for supplyinghot water and cold water to the longitudinal conduits of said manifold.7. Plumbing equipment comprising a manifold having two flat coextensiveplates which face each other and are cohesively joined together, betweenwhich plates three substantially elongated conduits are formed in one ofsaid plates, said conduits having their axes substantially coplanar withthe plane of said flat plates, the other of said plates having threeapertures therein, each aperture corresponding to but one of theconduits to permit the flow of fluid therethrough, and a plumbingfixture having three flow paths, two of which receive fluid from two ofthe conduits of the manifold and the third aperture returning fluid fromthe third flow path of said fixture to the third conduit of themanifold, said plumbing fixture including valve mechanism forcontrolling the fluid flow into the two receiving flow paths of thefixture.
 8. Plumbing equipment according to claim 7 in which saidplumbing fixture is a single lever faucet having a valve mechanism and amixing chamber, the fluid returned by the plumbing fixture to the thirdconduit of the manifold being discharged through the spout of thefaucet.
 9. A manifold for a flat wall comprising two substantially flatparallel coextensive plates which face each other, one of said plateshaving an elongate substantially semi-cylindrical bulge thereinproviding a conduit between said plates having its axis substantiallycoplanar with the plane of said one plate when said plates are sealed toeach other, and means for sealing the two plates coextensively to eachother, the other of said plates having an aperture therein opening intosaid bulge so that fluid may be transmitted through said conduit andthrough said aperture.
 10. A manifold according to claim 9, includingalso a plumbing fitting having an aperture therein to receive fluidwhich is to flow through the plumbing fitting, the aperture of saidplumbing fitting being communicative with said aperture in the plate ofsaid manifold so that fluid may flow through the interior of saidconduit provided between both plates of the manifold and through the twoapertures.
 11. A manifold for a flat wall comprising first and secondsubstantially flat parallel plates which face each other, said firstplate having two non-contiguous elongate substantially semi-cylindricalbulges providing two separate conduits having their axes substantiallycoplanar with the plane of said first plate when said plates are sealedto each other, two apertures being provided in said second plate, one ofthe apertures in the second plate opening into one of the conduits andthe other aperture in said second plate opening into the other of theconduits, means for sealing said first and second plates to each other,and means providing a fluid path between said two apertures so thatfluid may be transmitted between one conduit and the other.
 12. Amanifold according to claim 11 in which the means providing a fluid pathcomprises a plumbing fitting having two apertures which are respectivelyaligned with the apertures in said second plate so that fluid may betransmitted in a continuous path between said conduits and through theapertures of said fitting.
 13. A manifold according to claim 12, inwhich first and second cylindrical collars are formed in said manifoldeach about one of the conduits of the manifold, so that pipes may beconnected to the respective conduits of said manifold.